Welsh Liberal Democrats Councillor for Cwmbwrla Ward, City and County of Swansea - Visit my main website at www.peterblack.wales

Thursday, January 08, 2009

A matter of concern

The Times has a follow-up to the story initated by Julia Goldsworthy yesterday, which found that Councils in England and Wales are taking people to court too quickly if they fall behind with their council tax payments. One million people received court summons, whilst bailiffs called on 600,000.

They have found that some householders who owe less than £2,000 in arrears are suddenly faced with a bill of up to £50,000 and forced to sell their homes because of the exorbitant fees which kick in after bankruptcy. Insolvency accountants who chase up small council tax arrears of a few hundred pounds charge up to £600 an hour. They say that up to 5,000 householders were pursued for bankruptcy last year and at least 1,000 were made bankrupt.

Vince Cable is absolutely right when he says that there seems to be no justification whatever for these astronomical fees for what appears to be routine work. He believes that there is a clear case for the Government to intervene either by involving the competition authorities or by opening up the business to a wider range of providers. I agree.

A number of years ago, my wife lost a court case through not fault of her own, and wasn't told about it by the solicitors she employed.

QUITE RIGHTLY (as in within their rights) the Court (Swansea County)informed the solicitors that there were legal costs THE COURT DIDN'T INFORM MY WIFE.

The solicitors didn't pass on the message, and we had the manilla envelope through the door one Friday saying the Bailiffs will be around the Following Friday for good and effects upto £2,500.

The law is an ass!

Bailiffs can't enter a house unless they have access, they cannot force windows or doors, yet there's been cases reported of the Police breaking into peoples houses to effect entry for these Bailiffs - QUITE ILLEGALLY.

We have seen police entering premises quite recently without a warrant, that premises postcode was SW1A 0AA

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